


A Seen Sight

by caprease



Category: Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Genre: Angst, Dealing With Trauma, Gen, Past Character Death, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 21:30:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7908277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caprease/pseuds/caprease
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, Kubo looks at his grandfather and can't help but see the monster. Post movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Seen Sight

Sometimes, Kubo looks at his grandfather and can't help but see the monster. He looks at his grandfather, and sees the spitting, evil creature that took his eye and took his parents. It doesn't happen as often anymore these days, but it still happens.

It's those times that Kubo runs away for a bit, back to the cave at the top of the mountain where he grew up with his mother. He didn't live there anymore, not after his grandfather, but he still kept the place tidy. Two small origami figures stand on a rock where his mother used to sleep. The one on the left is red, a strong samurai figure proudly embracing the other figure. The one on the right is yellow, with long flowing hair and robes, a shamisen in her hands. Kubo kneels in front of the altar. He lets out a long sigh.

"Mother, Father." he says, not quite looking at the figures.

"I really miss you today." he says, rushing to add, "Not that I don't miss you every day, but it just feels... more today."

Kubo stays there in the cave, talking to his parents about his days, what he's been up to, how he's been offered a chance to go to another village to tell stories with this band of storytellers. He talks about his grandfather, and how he's adjusted to life in the village, how Kubo's worried one day his father will remember his past, how he still has nightmares about his Aunties.

The sun slowly sets and the bell signalling the beginning of nightfall rings. (They got a new, real bell after Kubo took the helmet.) Kubo lets his story about Hashi's new gig drift off.

Kubo scoots closer to the altar and looks closely at the figures. "I need to go back home now," he says softly, "but I'll come visit you guys again soon. Bye for now!"

Kubo picks up his shamisen and slings it over his shoulder as he walks out of the cave. He takes his time walking down the mountain, looking up at the stars as they slowly appear in the darkening sky. He never got to look at them this much before with his mother. There are so many stars in the sky, each twinkling to their own beat.

He eventually makes it back to the village, and to his shared home with his grandfather. There's a fire crackling in the middle of the room, a pot boiling with soup hovering above it.

Kubo's grandfather is stirring the pot when Kubo walks in. "Ah, Kubo, you've returned," he says, looking up and giving Kubo a warm smile, "Just in time for dinner. I made beef stew."

Kubo sets down his shamisen and takes a seat across from his grandfather. He passes a bowl to Kubo, who holds it up close to the pot to get some stew. His grandfather starts talking about his day and the happenings around the village, the same quiet conversation they have around dinner. Kubo lets the words drift over him, a little guilty for being so distracted while his grandfather talks, but he can always ask for more details later. He looks up at his grandfather every once in a while, nodding occasionally to encourage him to keep speaking. Kubo's grandfather can get quite animated while storytelling for a man his age. It runs in the family.

He's describing an incident with a merchant and Hashi when Kubo notices something about his nose. The light of the fire casts a shadow on his face, just the same way it did on his mother when she told him stories. Kubo stares, seeing his mother's nose and cheekbones in his grandfather's face. Something in him relaxes at that. The tension seeps out of his shoulders. Kubo sits up a little straighter and starts tuning into his grandfather's story.

"Then, the merchant's chicken came flying out of the coop and chasing us around!" Kubo's grandfather flails his arms around for emulate the chicken. "Oh you should've seen it Kubo, that chicken knew how to make us dance!"

Kubo laughs, gets up, and starts imitating his grandfather running away from the chicken.

**Author's Note:**

> Any kind of feedback would be greatly appreciated :) Thanks for reading! capssays.tumblr.com


End file.
